Harvest Moon
by Summersetlights
Summary: After moving into their first apartment together, Eli and Clare begin to realize that everything won't come so easily...


**_Dislciamer: I don't own Degrassi._**

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><p>When they moved into their first apartment, they looked around at the shabby condition and wondered how the hell they were going to live. The wallpaper peeled in the dark corners where the sun didn't reach and the rug was a puke-yellow that matched the kitchen cupboards. Flies buzzed around and tangled themselves in their hair, knowing that they were the new care-takers of the dingy and small space. The mildew-y smell latched itself onto their clothes and bodies, etching itself into every crevice of their terrified bodies.<p>

Elijah Goldsworthy held a wrench in his shaking hand and was told that the water wasn't working and it was a brown color, and he either had to fix it or just buy water. But the clever old man who owned the building knew fairly well that the two young adults didn't have two cents to rub together. He had seen these kids before. Sure, not the same kids, but kids of their kind; young adults that wanted to run home to their parents and live under a secure roof and to walk down the hall without fear of getting robbed. These two were either going to make it or break it, and at this point in their lives, they had no clue as to what direction their life was going to take.

They both trembled in the doorway and looked around. Between both of them, they only sported four small bags. And they clenched these bags with all their might, because as they traveled into the new world, those bags were the only things that they had to remind them of their life before.

Without unpacking, without fixing the sink, they spread out the three blankets on the rug and propped the two pillows down, and let their fear carry them away into a fitful sleep.

.

.

.

Her freckles are like stars. They are splattered around her shoulder like paint and they glow on those long nights. He traces them lightly and he's always so engrossed by them. She talks and he listens intently to every word that comes out of her plump lip. She talks about how the tree in her backyard grew and how her father played one of his practical jokes on her. And as her mouth moves, he takes in her scent. His finger slips down her shoulder and finds that scar on her forearm that was from a tricycle accident when she was three.

As every single one of these nights pass, Elijah Goldsworthy falls even more in love with her. And he knows this because her scars are digging their way onto his. And her tears and years are etched ever so gracefully on his body that it feels natural.

He feels his body being pulled by her. She's magnetic. She's colorful and warm and she smells like lavender. She knows how to divide in her head, and he can barely divide using paper. She dances with every step she takes and he can't seem to get the image of her hips out of his head. He learns that what she wanted people to see isn't how she actually is. The tough and brilliant scholar washed away with every moment she was with him. Those thick and troubled walls that she had slaved over had crashed down in a sea of stone. And this stone held the deepest and darkest parts of her that she didn't want anyone to see. They held the riddles and barbed wire that she had secured around her heart.

And even though Eli has these feelings, he can feel her being stretched apart during the first couple of months at the apartment. Their money supply is short and they fight so much that most of the time, they go to bed with tears crawling down their faces.

For the first time, Elijah Goldsworthy is scared that he'll lose it. That he'll lose her.

That he'll lose the world. Because nothing is going together. Everything is stretching and falling and starting on fire. He doesn't know what to do. And Clare Edwards is in the same boat as he is in. They love each other, but they're just a couple of kids. They have no experience. And as time goes by, their faith in each other grows weaker.

The funny thing is, is that in one of the drawers in the kitchen sits an engagement ring. It didn't cost Eli thousands of dollars, but it did cost him months of late hours. It's just a simple gold ban and it's delicate and simple, because he knows that Clare isn't one to obsess about diamonds. He was once so happy to give it to her. But, as time goes by, Eli isn't sure if there will be a day that he'll get down on one knee and propose.

He's scared that there will come a day where she'll become sick of him and leave. She deserves better. And he knows it.

.

.

.

Elijah Goldsworthy has never fixed anything in his life. Hell, even his life is broken and shattered. And if he can't even fix his life, he has no idea how he's expected to fix a sink. The wrench sits in his hand and it weighs down on his flesh, begging him to do…something. Anything, for that matter. Part of him just wants to drink the shit colored water and forget about this whole deed. But, then, Eli thought about Clare and her face when she could drink clear water. So, with hesitation, Eli pulls on a screw and hopes for the best.

Nothing happens and he feels a light feeling running through his veins. He smiles cockily and pulls back his sleeves with confidence. The rust rubs its remains onto Eli's arm and creates a fine powder on his shirt. Eli bites his lip and looks at all the pipes without a hint as to what direction to take next. He taps lightly on the pipe and jumps back when a loud creak runs through the metal. Eli takes a deep breath and counts to three before tugging twice more. And even though he doubted that anything would happen, he turned on the water.

Clear water shot out. Eli watched it as if it were a waterfall. The water had no hint of brown and the crystal water felt cool on his skin as he ran his fingers throughout the water. It's cold on his skin and he shuts the tab off. The door slams behind him and he can hear the rustling of groceries.

"I bought bread!" Clare shouts and bangs the cupboards around. He forgets about the clear water and squints his eyes at Clare. Eli watches her pull the two bags of groceries up and onto the table. The plastic and generic grocery bags crinkle together and Eli tries to peer through the clear bags, but all he can see is bread.

"…What else?" Eli asks, moving closer to the girl, a sheepish smile forming on her face.

"More bread. Oh! And soup! Lots and lots of soup! It's going to get cold soon and what's better than bread and soup?"

"Meat, butter, eggs, a lot of things, Clare." He mutters testily, looking down at the bags with a bitter look. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Clare look down in something that resembles shame. Eli shakes his hair out of his eyes and winces. He knows that it's not her fault. He knows that they're going off of only two paychecks. And he knows that Clare is doing her best to just make it through with him. But, Eli also knows that he's starving and just wants a steak or a hamburger.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to say it like that."

Clare shakes her head slightly as she stacks the soups into one of the empty cupboards. "I know..but it's just that…I'm trying my best. I wanted to buy those cookies that you like, but we have no money. And when we do have money, it goes directly to bills and to every other thing in the world other than us. I just want you to be patient. We'll be able to have meat in a while. Someday."

"Clare, I didn't mean to snap," Eli mutters and wraps his arms around her waist. He lets out a sigh and smiles, "But to make your day a little better…I may have a little bit of news. I happened to have fixed a certain something…"

"You didn't!" Clare twirled around and stared at the sink with excitement. But Eli smiled once and nodded. He strutted forward and turned on the water, looking up proudly.

"See? Beautiful water, isn't it?"

"But…it's brown."

Confused, Eli looked down and sure enough, the thick, brown water made its way into the sink. The mucky liquid splashed around the sides and Eli growled in frustration. He stepped down on his knees and peered underneath the sink and tapped the pipes once more. He took the wrench and with the water still running above him, he loosened a screw. And with this loose screw, water shot out of the pipe and the brown water spread across his face with a fierce power.

With Clare squealing of laugh from behind him, he blocked the water from his eyes and fumbled with the wrench and the screw. After a couple of tries, the water soon stopped and the only sound that was heard in the apartment was the running of water above him and the laughter of Clare Edwards.

Eli crawls out from under the sink with the mucky water dripping from his hair. The hyena laughter echoes throughout his ears as he picks up a towel and dries off his face. Once his face is as clean as possible, he throws the cloth on the counter and smirks evilly. And before Clare can jump away or even think about moving away from him; Eli attacks. He playfully grabs her and brings her to their three blanket bed. His fingers find her sides easily and he shows no mercy.

"Stop, Eli! Stop, please! Oh my god. Eli- E-E-Eli!" She giggles and Eli starts chuckling as well. He can't she bit her lip to keep in her howls.

"I'm sorry, but I can't hear you over your laughing." Eli shouted and just as she was going to retort, he swooped down and let his lips connect with hers. Their tongues find each other in no time and the laughter was disappearing and was being replaced with a primal need. Eli propped her up on top of him smoothly, without breaking his hold from her lips. Her body molded into his and they moved together like liquid.

"I'm covered in disgusting water thanks to you." Clare mutters in between kisses.

Eli groans and chuckles at the same time, slipping her shirt off, "You shouldn't have laughed at me. In the end, it's your fault."

"Just because you have no skills with-_oh_." Eli interrupts her snapped sentence and rubs her clit slowly. Her eyes closes shut slowly and quiet moans escapes out of her mouth. Clare moves his hand away and takes off his boxers.

"I love you." Eli murmurs, and pushes into her, loving the lovely gasp out of his lover. Clare mutters the same and her nails dig their way into his back. His muscles move into her and they're moving like a machine. Being intimate with each other is so natural.

When they come down from their high, they're a tangle of limbs on the floor and Eli smiles. The girl that he's in love with smiles back and finds home in the crevice of his arm and slowly drifts to sleep. As he watches her, he can't help but wonder why he had been so scared about their future. They had made it through everything, they could make it through this too. With a slight smile, he slowly gets up and walks over to the drawer to get the velvet box. He walks back over to the sleeping girl and pulls her closer, and that's when he lets himself sleep.

And he falls asleep to the reaction of the girl seeing the gold ring on her finger.

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><p><strong><em>Sorry for not posting a lot. Writers block, my friend! <em>**

**_Review, please? :)_**


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